Car-coupling.



No. 790.209. v PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

I R. B. L. JANNEY.

UAR COUPLING.

LAPPLIOATION FILED JAN. 24, 1905.

2 SHEBTS-SHBBT 1.

mil.

Wihwowo 4 I PATENTBD MAY 16, 1905. I R. E. L. JANNEY.

GAR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. I

Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. L. J ANNEY, OF INDIANA HARBOR, INDIANA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,209, dated May 16, 1905.

Application filed January 24, 1905. Serial No. 242,536.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. L. J ANNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indiana Harbor, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to car-couplings, and more particularly to that class known as the Janney type, and has for its object to provide certain improvements in the Construction of the same, as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed,-reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal in dotted lines raised and about to engage the lock-set position. Fig. 4 is afront elevation I of the coupling, the coupling hook being shown-broken away. "Fig. 5 isa detail top plan view of the conpling'-hoo k.- Fig.6 is-a detai -l frontelevati'on of the loc'king-pin. Fig. '7 is awdetailfront view'of a portionofthelockingpin, showing the contacttherewithof the tail of the coupling-hook. during "the movement to orfrom the locked position.

Fig. 8 is aview similar to Fig. 7, showing a modified construction.

Similar numerals of reference denote correin the draw-head '2 by means of pin 5 is the usual vcoupling-hook 6, the tail of which is provided with an extension 7 performing the double function of supporting the locking- The locking-pin 8 is of the vertically-movable type and is provided with the cut-away or recessed portion 9 to permit the passage of the coupling-hook tail to the open position when said pin is lifted, the top portion 10 of said recess being inclined slightly sidewise downward from left to right, as shown in The top surface 11'of the coupling-hook tail has an upward inclination toward the extension 7 thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, said inclination beginning at the point 12 and ending at the point 13, said features performing a double function hereinafter to bedescribed.

The bottom of the recess 9 is inclined, as shown at 14 in Fig. 6, and at the upper end- .of said incline I provide a hump or projection 15, adapted to cooperate with an incline l6, similar to incline 14, on the under side'of the coupling-hook tail to throw said hook open' automatically when the locking-pin 8 is lifted and the hook not engaged by another hook. gTo expedite this movement, the lower end of incline16 of the coupling-hook'tail may be ip' ovided with an incline 17 more abrupt than {incline16, with which thehump or projection 15 contacts first to impart to the coupling- Ihook its initial movement.

Formed in the front end of the lower aperture 18 in the draw-head, through which the locking-pin 8 passes, is a projection 1.9, while the front side of the locking-pin 8 near its lower end is cut away to provide the shoulder 20, adapted to engage the projection 19 when the lock-ing-pinis raised to the releas-- ing position and tilted forward slightly at its lower end, whereby said locking-pin may be set at the releasing position.

, Pivoted at 21 in the locking-pin is the lifting-trigger 22, the connection between said trigger and pivot-pin being by means of an inclined slot 23, as shown in Fig. 1. To cause the locking-pin to tilt forward at its lower end when raised, I locate the point of attachment of the actuating chain or rod for said trigger forward'of the center of gravity of the locking-pin, as seen at 24, the opening in 1 the draw-head through which the locking-pin moves being so arranged to allow this move ment. Said trigger is also provided on its front face with a lip or projection 25 adapted to engage the draw-head for a purpose hereinafter to be described. A pin or projection 26, located in said trigger, by contact with the locking pin limits the rearward movement of said trigger, so that the latter may not drop entirely out of its slot, and thus become liable to be broken by contact with the end sill of the car. Said locking-pin is also provided on its rear face with a depression 27, having a flat lower face, and on its frontface with a projection 28, both for purposes hereinafterato be-described.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the aperture in the draw-head receiving the locking-pin 8 is provided in one corner with a projection 29 and that the locking-pin is correspondin-gly recessed at 30, the object being to prevent'the partial rotation of said lockingpin when it is lifted to throw open the coupling-hook, it-being seen that in so lifting said locking-pin the part 31 of the same will be lifted entirely above the draw-head, which: were it-not for'the projection 21 would permit said locking-pin to then partially rotate; From the above description the operation of my improved construction will be understood to hem follows: The locking-pin 8 is shown in Fig. 1 in full lines in the locked position. Now when the coupling is engaged with another coupling and it. is desired topermitthe parts to uncouple the locking-pin is'raised-until its shoulder 20=is above the projection 19 in the draw-head, when by reason ofpoint of attachment of the lifting means to the locking-pin at 24 forward of the center of'gravity of said pin the latter will be tilted forward at its lower end until the shoulder 20 'thereonoverlies the projection 19; The-pin being now released, the shoulder 20 will drop into engagementwith projection 19,- thusretaining said pin in the lock-set or-releasing position. Upon drawing the cars apartthe coupling-hook will be rotated to the open position, and during this movement thehook passes in its rotation, will be engaged byth'etop surface 11 of the coupling-hook tail and said pin thus gradually raised from its engagement withtheprojection 19 and supported on the coupling-hook tail. During this operation the projection 28 on the front of the locking-pin contacts with the front of the draw-head, and thus forces the lower end of said locking-pin to the rear andout=of the line of engagement with the lockset projection 19. As a further means for causing the lower end of the locking-pin to be positively forced backward and out.of the line of engagement with the projection 19 as the coupling-hook approaches the open position I project the extension 7 of the couplinghook tail somewhat beyond the are described by the rear face of the coupling-hook tail proper, as shown at 32 in Fig. 5, the result being that as said projection reaches the recess 9 in the locking-pin as the coupling-hook is rotated to the open position it will contact with the rear vertical wall of said recess, and thus positively force the locking-pin rearward. Now upon the return of the couplinghook tail to the locking position the lockingpin 8 will by reason of its engagement with the outer edge only of the coupling-hook tail, due to the fact that said coupling-hook tail is engaging at an angle with the inclined surface 10 of recess 9, be supported at a point to the rearof its center of gravity, thus causing said pin to maintain the position to which it has been forced by the opening of the coupling-hook. Said locking-pin while in this position will be gradually lowered as the coupling-hook tail approaches the locking position and will thus be prevented from engaging the projection 19, so that when the coupling-hook tail passes from beneath the surface 10 said locking-pin will drop to the lockingposition. As thecoupling-hook approaches the open position-I project the extension 7 of the coupling-hook tail somewhat beyond the are described by the rear face of the coupling-hook tail proper,- asshown at 32 in Fig. 5, the result'being that as said projection reaches the recess 9 in the locking-pin as the coupling-hook is rotated to the open position it will contact withthe rear vertical wall of said recess, and thus positively force the locking-pin rearward.

As seen in full lines in Fig. 1, the trigger 22 of the locking-pin 8, through the engagement of the inclined slot-23 therein with the pivot-pin '21, will when not lifted by its operating chain or rod assume a position so that the lip orprojection 25 thereof will underlie the front edge of the draw-head, the result being that if said pin is accidentally lifted from the bottom said lip orprojection 25 will engage the draw-head, and thus effectually prevent a further lifting of the locking-pin to the unlocking position. It will also be unstood that this engagement of the lip or projection 25 with the draw-head will occur should there be any upward creeping of the lockingpin due to the jarring of the coupling when the car is coupled and in motion. When.

however, the actuating chain or rod is operated to lift the locking-pin, the trigger 22 will be first lifted independently to the limit permitted by its inclined slot 23, the inclination of the latter causing it to move rearwardly at the same time, and thus out-oftheline of engagement with :the drawhead, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the further lifting 'carr'ying with it the locking-pin 8.

" tical abutting face'of the coupling-hook tail;

but, if desired, the same may be located lower down, so as to engage beneath the under side of the coupling-hook tail, asshown in dotted lines in Fig.' 6. By employing the stud 33 on the locking-pin adapted to be engaged by the coupling-hook tail I not only prevent any upward creeping of the pin, but accomplish this result without throwing said pin out of vertical alinement, as is necessary when this result is accomplished by an engagement between the .pin and draw-head. As a result the lifting of the pin is rendered easier and the parts cooperate with greater precision, the pin being released not by any-lateral movement of itself, but by a slight movement of the coupling-hook tail away from said pin when tension is removed therefrom. It will :be understood that in some'instances the use of the trigger 22 may be dispensed with and the lifting chain or rod connected directly with the upper end of the locking-pin 8 for.- .ward of its center of gravity, inswhich event the stud. 33 will become the sole anticreeping agent. a

A further 'f'unctionvof the trigger'22 is performed if the draw-head should break. Thus if the draw-head should be pulled, say, five or siX inches beyond its normal outward move-- ment the strain of the lifting chainor rod on thetrigger 22 will-cause the'upper rear projection 35 of the latter tocontact with the draw-head and, acting as a fulcrum thereon, to forcibly lift the locking-pin 8 to the unlocking position, thereby uncoupling the car and releasing the strain on the broken draw- :head,-\the' latter being-then supported by said chain orJrod, and thus prevented from falling onzthe track.

The functionrof the depression 27 in the rear of the locking-pin 8 is to engage with the draw-head at 27 when the locking-pin is lifted tothrow open the coupling-hook, and thus prevent. too great a lift to said locking-pin,

which might result in said loCking-pinbecoming jammed or wedged in its liftedposition,

this result being due to the fact that the point:

of attachment 24 of the lifting-chain is forward of the center of gravity, whereby the lower end of the pin, is kept tilted forward as it islifted. I

I have illustrated in Fig. 8 a slightly-modified construction in which the tail of the coupling-hook is given a double inclinationfirst,

the upward inclination-from 12*to'13, herein before described,- and, secondly, an upward and outward inclinatiomas shown at 36, said latter inclination cooperating with the downwardinclination from front to rear of the top portion 10 of recess9 in the locking-pin 8 to cause the contact with said locking-pin at a point to the rear of'its centerof gravity,a's he'reinbefore described. may be readily accomplished'by using an inclination on but one of the contacting parts, and it is immaterial whether. it is located on the coupling-hook tail or on the locking-pin. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V 1. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, of a vertically-movablelock ing-pin therein, cooperating projections on the locking-pin and the front of the drawlocking position, a coupling-hook pivoted in In fact, this result v thedraw-head, cooperating surfaces on said coupling-hook and locking-pin adapted to engage during the entire rotation of the coupling-hook to the open position whereby said locking-pin. will-be raised and supported out of the line of engagement with the unlockingpositiou support by said coupling-hook while the latter is in its open position, said surfaces cooperating during the return movement of the coupling-hook to maintain said lockingpin in said position and cause it, when 'released, to drop to :its locking position.

2. In acar-ooupling, thecombination with the draw-head, of a Vertically-movable look-- ing-pin therein, cooperating. projections on the locking-pin and the front of the drawhead for supporting said locking-pin inthe unlocking position, a coupling-hook pivoted in the draw-head, an inclined engaging surface on said locking-pin, and an incline on said coupling-hook, said coupling-hook adapted to engage said inclined surface during the entire rotation of the coupling-hook to the open position whereby saidlocking-pin willbe raised and supported out of, the line of engagement with the unlocking-position support by said coupling-hook while the latter is in itsopen position, said inclined surface on said lockingpin operating during the return movement of the coupling-hook to maintain said lockingpin in said position and cause it, when released,to drop to its lockingposition.

3. Ina car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, of a vertically-movable lockingrpin therein, means for supporting said locking-pin in the unlocking position,-a coupgagement in the unlocking position during the opening movement of said coupling-hook.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, of a coupling-hook pivoted therein and having an incline on the under side of its tail, and avertically-movable locking-pin for said coupling-hook having a similar incline and at its point of initial contact a more abrupt incline adapted to contact with the incline on the coupling-hook tail to throw the latteropen when said locking-pin is lifted.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, of a coupling-hook pivoted therein and having an incline on the under side of its tail, and a vertically-movable lockingpin for said coupling-hook having a similar incline, said coupling-hook and locking-pin also having, at the points of initial contact, more abrupt inclines adapted to contact and impart the initial movement to the couplinghook when said locking-pin is lifted.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and alock for said coupling-hook, of means directly on said lock coaeting with said coupling-hook to prevent movement of said look toward the unlocking position when said coupling-hook is in engagement therewith.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination with 'the'draw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and an upwardly-moving lock for said coupling-hook, of aprojection on one of said parts adapted to engage the other part when the two are in the locked position :to prevent :upward movement of the said lock.

'8. In a car-coupling, the combination with th-e-draw-head, a cou pling-hook pivoted therein, and a vertically-moving locking-pin, of a projection on said pin-adapted to engage said coupling-hook when the parts are in the locked position to prevent upward movement of said locking-pin.

9. In a car-coupling, the combination with thedraw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and a lock for said coupling-hook, of ahollow draw-bar connected with said draw-head, and diagonal strengthening-ribs formed in the upper and lower surfaces of said draw-bar.

10. In a car-coupling, the combination with thed-raw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and a lock for saidcoupling-hook, of a hollow draw-barconnected with said draw-head and diagonal strengthening-ribs formed in the upper and lowersurfaces of said draw-bar and extending into said draw-head.

11. In a car-coupling, the combination with thedraw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and avertically-movable locking-pin therefor, of a lifting-trigger disengageably pivoted to the locking-pin and having an initial independent bodily lateral movement when lifted and normally positioned in the draw-head to engage an integral part of the latter when a lifting strain is exerted on the locking-pin to limit the vertical movement of said lockingpin.

12. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and a vertically-movable locking-pin therefor, of a lifting-trigger havingzan inclined disengageable slotted connection with said locking-pin and provided with an integral shoulder adapted to engage an integral part of the draw-head when said trigger is in its lowermost position with respect to said locking-pin, said trigger, when lifted to raise the lockingpin, being first independently moved through its inclined slotted connection to bring said shoulder out of alinement with the draw-head.

13. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, a coupling-hook pivoted therein, and a vertically-movable locking-pin therefor, said locking-pin being cutaway on one side at its lower portion and recessed vertieally on said side in its upper portion, the upper portion of the locking-pin aperture in the draw head being correspondingly projected, said projection operating to engage said locking-pin when the vertical recess therein is lifted above said projection to prevent lateral movement of said locking-pin.

14. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, and a coupling-hook pivoted therein, of a vertically-movable locking-pin therefor provided with a depression in its rear face adapted to engage an integral part of the draw-head when said locking-pin is lifted past the unlocking position to limit the vertical movement of said locking-pin.

15. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, and a coupling-hook pivoted therein, of a vertically-movable locking-pin therefor, means for supporting said lockingpin in the unlocking position, and a projection on said locking-pin adapted, when said locking-pin is lifted to disengage it from its supported position, to contact with the drawhead and force said locking-pin away from engagement with its support.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT E. L. J ANNEY. Vitnesses:

E. P. KINNE, FRED. I. MURLEY. 

